1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a workflow processing apparatus having a location where data is stored and a workflow processing method, and particularly relates to a workflow processing apparatus having a function of executing predetermined processing for document data stored in a box and a workflow processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, image forming apparatuses that include a printer, a facsimile device, a digital copier, and so forth that are connected to a network and that have a box function so as to store acquired document data into a predetermined box have been available.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-145493 discloses a technology for setting a program automatically executed for a facsimile message or the like to each box. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-145493 further discloses a message accumulation-and-exchange device configured to automatically execute processing at predetermined time. The above-described automatically executed processing includes the following processing.
The first processing is processing performed to delete message data stored in a box before different message data is registered with the box. The second processing is processing performed to transmit an incoming notification in response to a facsimile message transmitted from the owner of the box after the message data is registered with the box. The third processing is processing performed to transmit notification data, if there is any notification data transmitted from an administrator, before the message data is retrieved from the box. The last processing is processing performed to transmit retrieve notification data to the sender of the retrieved message data after the message data is retrieved from the box. Further, processing performed to change the message data retrieved from the box into a data format used by a person who retrieves the message data is shown as an example.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-135602 proposes an information terminal device having a confidential box table which allows for conditionally executing a method of processing image data. The above-described information terminal device can automatically perform predetermined processing for image data stored in a confidential box.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-227476 discloses a device which allows for setting details of processing in advance for document data stored in a box and executing document processing, automatically, for the document data stored in the box when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied. The automatically executed processing includes processing performed to change the document generation date, the document file name, the issuing department, the approval field, the document number, and so forth. The predetermined execution condition denotes the reception of document data transmitted from a transmission source specified in advance, the registration of a predetermined number of document data items with the box, the completion of changing the details of document data stored in the box, and a lapse of predetermined time, and so forth.
However, for changing information about settings on processing for execution of the box, known technologies may not be sufficient for finishing processing on each of document data items that are stored in the box before the setting information is changed. Particularly, if the processing performed before the setting information is changed includes processing performed dependently on the format, the form, etc. of document data, it has been difficult to change the setting information of the box until processing on each of stored document data items is finished.
Further, it has been difficult to store new document data dependent on changed setting information of a box in the box, by using the known technologies, until after processing on each of document data items is finished and the setting information of the box is changed.